A brief one this week just to gush about how much I enjoyed attending the Voice Over for Video Games workshop at High Score Productions with Hugh Edwards and Peter Dickson. IT WAS ACES!

It was held at Hackenbacker Studios in Soho, what great facilities btw... We started with a cup of tea, standard. Then got stuck in. The first half was mainly theoretical, giving myself and 9 other budding game-voicers an in depth back ground in the industry and how we may fit in. The second half was more practical and we got stuck into the nitty gritty of the voice direction side of things and what it would be like in a real session. A excellent all round introduction to the industry with a top director in Hugh and regular game voice actor Peter. We got to see it from both perspectives, which was very useful.

So, armed with a plethora of ideas and much inspiration, I shall now get my game on and practice practice practice! Both the playing of games and creating characters and voices for them. Much to the dismay of those around me. Yes. Yes I am cooking my tea in the style of a russian Bond villain, vat of eeet?! Yes. Yes they would eat sausages and mash.

Go on the course if you want to try game voicing. Or you're just nosey as to what the industry is about.

And zat iiis all I hef to sai on zee saabjekt. Now, get out of my sighte, you heeedious creatuuure....

*spins round on big chair, stoking her pussy. CAT. Her cat. Phew, that was close...

Look at me, all inspired to write another blog straight away! That's what this is for, right? A table on which to spread my brain matter all and begin heated debates! Or share recipes. Or tentatively enquire as to the treatment of a particularly persistent rash... Ha! I jest. There is no rash. Anymore (thank you anonymous from Burton on Trent)

And not a pixilated cleavage in sight...

So, yesterday I attended the Woman In Games European conference, run by WIGJ. "Why, Nic? You haven't played a game since Mario Cart on the S.N.E.S."

Er, well that's a lie, Bob, as I'm currently pretty darn good at Plants Vs Zombies 2 on my iPad (other pads are available), so...in your face. Regardless, this isn't about how much you play games, it's about the genii* behind the these games. Specifically those of the female variety.

*This is the latin plural for 'Genius'. I like it better than the English translation 'geniuses'. I think the latter sounds like a sneeze.

Women in Game Jobs is an organisation (founded by A DUDE, shock horror, called David Smith) to celebrate, and develop opportunities for, women in the gaming industry. Admittedly it was a day filled mainly with ladiez, but there were a few chaps there, flying the flag. And how lucky they were too, being surrounded by such a passionate, intelligent and informed bunch of women for the day. Oh, and me.

I went to get an overview of the gaming industry. I want to take my voice acting career in that direction, so it makes sense to know what's going on. Very useful it was too. I listened to the likes of Siobhan Reddy, (Studio Director of Media Molecule), Caroline Norbury, (Cheif Executive of Creative England) and Alison Cressey, (CEO of WIGJ) talk with passion and honesty about current women in gaming statistics, and how this needs to change. I saw incredible showcases of up and coming student game artists and talked to the recruitment team of EA. Not to mention round table talks with Debbie Rawlings (DoO at Auroch Digital) about all female game jams and a discussion with representatives from BAFTA about how to engage with girls at a younger age about the opportunities available to them in the gaming industry. It was an eye opening day. Fuelled by excitement, inspiration and pastries. I hope to be a 'woman in games' soon, at least through my voice anyway.

I'm now eagerly awaiting the attendance of game voices courses at High Score productions and OMUK in the next few months, to flex my game voice acting muscles in a professional setting! I may not look like Lara Croft, but I can certainly talk like her. Or a russian villain. Or a downtown LA hooker. Or a hobo's cat. Or an armless zombie. Or a flippin'... Disney princess! Or whatever you need.

For now, I'll continue to drive friends nuts talking like Lara Croft, or a russian spy, or a downtown LA hooker, or a...you get the point. Now, be gone. I have work to do *swivels in chair and stokes white cat... MWAHAHAHAHAHA etc.

If you'd like to know more, head to the WIGJ website. About the conference and organisation, not my russian villain voice. That's here...